How to Build a Raised Bed on a Pallet

Almost any pallet can be modified to create a raised bed on a pallet. This is a pretty quick way to build a raised bed on a pallet.

If you keep your eyes peeled when driving around the neighbourhood you will sometimes see unique pallets that have been specifically created for uncommon jobs and transportation of odd shaped objects.

These are usually not reusable for further shipping and quite often considered garbage by the receiving business. These types of pallets are easier to get your hands on because of this.

Try to locate a smaller size pallet that has sides already built on to it like the one in the image below. If you can find one of those then you’re more than half way to your raised bed already.

Supplies Needed

The steps are simple and the required supplies are minimal:

your awesome unique pallet

blocks or bricks to level the pallet (if necessary)

gloves

landscape fabric

chicken wire or metal mesh with small openings

staple gun

scissors

1. Choose the location that you will want your raised bed, place the pallet there and level it before lining it with landscape fabric and filling it with soil. It’ll be too heavy to move once it’s full.

2. Cut the chicken wire or metal mesh to fit as closely as possible to the inside of the bed. Staple it down securely in several spots and really well around the top edge. Fold in sharp edges with pliers.

3. Cut large sheets of landscape fabric and place it over top of the wire mesh right in to the corners. It doesn’t need to be flat and perfect but it does need to have complete coverage with no holes or gaps in it at all.

If the landscape fabric is thin (rated 5 year or less) then use two or three layers of it over the metal mesh. 12 year (or more) landscape fabric you’ll only need one layer.

Then poke a few holes in it with a small screwdriver so that the water can escape in a few additional areas. Don’t make the holes large enough for the soil to escape.

Filling with Soil

Fill your new raised bed with garden soil. Choose good healthy soil enriched with manure, this will help your veggies be as healthy as possible. Fill it leaving just about 2″ of space up to the top edge.

This will allow enough space to spread your carrot seeds and then cover them with a thin layer of soil without it spilling over when it rains or when watering.

Spread the Seeds

I recommend carrots because they’re easy. Sprinkle the carrot seeds over the soil using asize control seeder. It makes spreading the tiny carrot seeds easier and more consistent. It’s really easy to over plant a container of carrot seeds because they cannot easily be seen once they hit the soil.

Cover the seeds with a layer of soil about half an inch thick and then pat it down to secure the seeds. Water them gently and you’re done.

Trellis Creation

Trellises can be made out of many different materials created in different ways for plant support. This is limited only by your imagination.

Just make them strong because the plants can get heavy especially if they are food bearing.

The best idea is 8′ tall square stakes that get secured to the side of the raised bed on a pallet. They are tall and strong and it’s easy to staple netting between them to create a vertical pea or bean trellis.There are beans planted in with the carrots along the edge so we will need a trellis added shortly.

In the images below you’ll see the basic steps that I took to create a raised bed on a pallet with a trellis. Step one begins after you have chosen a sunny location for it and it’s level.

Step 1: Line the raised bed with metal mesh or plastic bird netting and staple it down securely. Step 2: Line the raised bed with 3 layers of landscape fabric and staple it down securely. Step 3: Poke a few holes in the bottom for additional water drainage. Step 4: Fill with garden soil. Step 5: Plant desired seeds, in this case it’s carrots. Step 6: Cover the soil with something to stop the cats from digging in your beautiful new garden. Step 7: Wait and wait some more. There’s 2 months until carrots

Line with Metal Mesh or Plastic Netting

Line with Layers of Landscape Fabric

Fill with Garden Soil

Please leave a comment if you need more details or help with building your own raised bed on a pallet.